Selecting the Right Basement Flooring for Your Basement

By Casey Torren

Basement remodeling or renovation includes working on the walls, basement flooring, ventilation, and cooling and heating systems. If you are planning to finish your current basement, some of these tasks may already be done for you. You just have to incorporate a few remodeling ideas to make your basement an area where your family and friends can spend time in.

Finishing a basement is not just creating an extra living space in your room. Finishing basements also mean that you are increasing the value of your home. One of the decisions you will have to make is what kind of material to utilize for your basement flooring. You no longer have to go with a cold concrete floor"today, you have a wide range of choices.

Carpet Options - Carpeting is a common choice. However, it might be a good idea to utilize flooring that is more resistant to water. Flooding is a common problem, such that even highly insulated basements have to deal with it from time to time. So it would be wise to minimize any damage caused by unexpected circumstances.

For basements, floor carpeting, lamination and hardwood flooring are not advisable. Variations in humidity, which are frequent in basements, alter hardwood and laminate floors and give way to mold growth in carpets. But if you are adamant in employing any of the floor types mentioned earlier, there are some safety measures you can take.

Polyethylene Sheets - You may employ a vapor guard beneath the floor. A resistant and high density polyethylene sheet with 3/8 tall dimples generates air space between the cement slab and flooring, catching any moisture and stopping it from going up the surface of your newly attached floor.

Porcelain and Ceramics - For basements that do not have moisture and dampness problems, you may also consider using porcelain or ceramic tile. The tiles can be applied straight over the cement floor, a resilient and great substitute floor for tiling. Look for cracks, which are generally not good and should be dealt with before any basement reconstruction, but particularly for ceramic tile, as cracks in the cement could easily break the tiles at the top.

Using Engineered Flooring - Engineered flooring is a great substitute for hardwood floor. Engineered floor is a type of flooring made from 3 to 5 layers of various hardwood materials with either a high-density fiberboard center or hardwood. Due to the layered structure, engineered floor is tougher when it comes to alterations in humidity that maintains its aesthetic even in fussy basements. Moreover, engineered floors are thinner, so you can employ additional insulation and they have an actual hardwood floor layer at the top, so you can select the appearance you want.

Floor Paints - A unique and inexpensive approach to revamping your basement flooring is to stain or paint the cement floor that already exists in the majority of basements. Here, you will have lots of choices when it comes to color schemes. It is also simpler to insulate the cold cement floor with a plush area rug. - 29955

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